Location information-based communication apparatus and method, and location information-based communication application apparatus

Abstract

A location information-based communication apparatus and method are disclosed. The location information-based communication apparatus includes a transmission terminal, a communication control unit, a local terminal location storage unit, and reception target terminals. The transmission terminal transmits information about a call connection location selected by a user to the communication control unit, outputs a list of information about one or more reception target terminals which are present around the call connection location on a screen, and transmits a call signal to the communication control unit. The communication control unit receives the list of the reception target terminals from a local terminal location storage unit, transmits the list of information about the reception target terminals to the transmission terminal, and connects the transmission terminal to desired reception target terminals by connecting to phone numbers of the reception target terminals over a wired or wireless communication network.

1 . A location information-based communication method, comprising:
 a first step in which a communication control unit of a communication company receives information about a call connection location (reception target location information) used for call connection from a transmission terminal;   a second step in which the communication control unit requests a list of information about reception target terminals, which exist around the call connection location corresponding to the information about the call connection location, from a local terminal location storage unit which is in charge of the corresponding call connection location, and the communication control unit receives the list of information about the reception target terminals, which has been transmitted from the local terminal location storage unit in response to the request;   a third step in which the communication control unit transmits the list of information about the reception target terminals, which was received in the second step, to the transmission terminal and waits for reception of a call signal; and   a fourth step in which the communication control unit receives the call signal transmitted in such a way that a user of the transmission terminal selects any one or more reception target terminals from the list of information about the reception target terminals, and connects the transmission terminal to the reception target terminals by connecting to phone numbers of the reception target terminals corresponding to the received call signal over a wired or wireless communication network.   
     
     
         2 . A location information-based communication method, comprising:
 a first step in which a web server transmits a call connection location information input screen, which enables information about a call connection location used for call connection to be input or selected, to a transmission terminal of a user, which has accessed the web server over an Internet;   a second step in which the web server receives the information about the call connection location, which was input or selected by the user using the call connection location information input screen, transmits the information about the call connection location to a communication control unit, and requests a list of information about reception target terminals;   a third step in which the communication control unit receives the list of information about the reception target terminals from a local terminal location storage unit, and transmits the received list of information about the reception target terminals to the web server at the request of the web server, and in which the web server transmits the received list of information about the reception target terminals to the transmission terminal; and   a fourth step in which the web server receives information which had been transmitted in such a way that the user selects one or more reception target terminals using the list of information about the reception target terminals and selects a desired communication method, and in which the web server transmits information using the communication method, selected by the user from among a text message, a phone call and data communication, to the reception target terminals selected by the user or enables a call to be made.   
     
     
         3 . The location information-based communication method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the local terminal location storage unit receives pieces of location information which have been received from reception target terminals which are present in a local area in each predetermined period via a base station, stores the pieces of location information, generates the list of information about the reception target terminals by collecting the reception target terminals which are present within a set radius around the call connection location corresponding to the information about the call connection location when the information about the call connection location is received from the communication control unit, and then transmits the list of information about the reception target terminals to the communication control unit. 
     
     
         4 . The location information-based communication method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein each of the reception target terminals comprises any one of:
 a wired terminal which is connected to a first radio repeater capable of communicating with the base station, capable of receiving Global Positioning System (GPS) location information from satellites, and capable of transmitting the GPS location information to the base station; 
 a wireless terminal which can receive GPS location information from satellites, and which can make a call; 
 a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) camera which is connected to a second radio repeater capable of communicating with the base station, capable of receiving GPS location information from satellites, capable of transmitting the GPS location information to the base station, and having been assigned a phone number used for call connection; 
 a navigation unit which can receive GPS location information from satellites, and which can make a wireless call; 
 a black box for transport means which is provided with a camera connected to the second radio repeater capable of communicating with the base station, capable of receiving GPS location information from satellites and transmitting the GPS location information to the base station, and having being assigned the phone number used for call connection; 
 a mobile phone; 
 a smart phone; and 
 a tablet Personal Computer (PC). 
 
     
     
         5 . The location information-based communication method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein, when the communication control unit requests the list of the reception target terminals around the call connection location (reception target location) from the local terminal location storage unit and a response from the local terminal location storage unit is that there is no reception target terminal within a set radius around the corresponding call connection location, the communication control unit requests the local terminal location storage unit to extend the set radius by a predetermined distance, and the local terminal location storage unit extends the set radius around the call connection location in response to the request from the communication control unit, generates a list of reception target terminals which are present within the extended set radius, and transmits the generated list of the reception target terminals to the communication control unit. 
     
     
         6 . The location information-based communication method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the information about the call connection location comprises any one of address information and location coordinates (X, Y) including latitude and longitude. 
     
     
         7 . The location information-based communication method according to  claim 1  or  2 ,
 wherein the call connection location information input screen includes a target field selection screen which enables the user to select a desired communication target field (category); 
 wherein the target field selection screen displays field pop-up windows which indicate various types of fields; and 
 wherein, when a specific field pop-up window is selected, the web server provides a list of information about reception targets, which have been registered in a relevant field in advance at a location corresponding to the information about the call connection location selected by the user, to the transmission terminal. 
 
     
     
         8 . The location information-based communication method according to  claim 2 , wherein, if the communication method selected by the user is Short Message Service (SMS) text message transmission, the web server provides an input screen which enables the user to input a text message, and transmits the text message input using the input screen to the communication control unit, so that the text message is transmitted to the reception target terminals. 
     
     
         9 . The location information-based communication method according to  claim 2 , wherein the transmission terminal is a terminal capable of performing wired or wireless Internet communication, and comprises any one of a mobile phone, a PC, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a smart phone, a tablet PC, a satellite phone, and a notebook computer. 
     
     
         10 . A location information-based communication apparatus, comprising:
 a transmission terminal for transmitting information about a call connection location selected by a user to a communication control unit, outputting a list of information about one or more reception target terminals, which are present around the call connection location received from the communication control unit, on a screen, and transmitting a call signal which targets any one or more reception target terminals selected from the list of information about the reception target terminals to the communication control unit;   the communication control unit for receiving the list of the reception target terminals around the call connection location corresponding to the information about the call connection location, which was received from the transmission terminal, from a local terminal location storage unit which is in charge of a relevant reception target location, transmitting the list of information about the reception target terminals to the transmission terminal, and connecting the transmission terminal to desired reception target terminals by connecting to phone numbers of the reception target terminals corresponding to the call signal transmitted from the transmission terminal over a wired or wireless communication network;   a local terminal location storage unit for receiving pieces of location information received from reception target terminals present within a local area in each predetermined period via a base station, storing the pieces of location information, generating the list of information about the reception target terminals by collecting the reception target terminals within a set radius around the call connection location (reception target location) corresponding to the information about the call connection location when the information about the call connection location is received from the communication control unit, and transmitting the generated list of information about the reception target terminals to the communication control unit; and   the reception target terminals for each receiving location information from satellites and transmitting the location information to the base station.   
     
     
         11 . A location information-based communication apparatus, comprising:
 a transmission terminal for being able to perform wired or wireless Internet communication, accessing a web server over an Internet, selecting one or more reception target terminals from a list of information about reception targets provided by the web server and a communication method of communicating with the selected reception target terminals, transmitting information about the selected reception target terminals and the communication method to the web server, and communicating with the reception target terminals connected by the web server;   the web server for providing a call connection location information input screen, which enables information about a call connection location to be input or selected, to the transmission terminal accessed over the Internet, transmitting information about the call connection location, which was input using the call connection location information input screen, to the communication control unit, outputting a list of information about reception target terminals around the call connection location to the screen of the transmission terminal  1 , the list of information about the reception target terminals transmitted by the communication control unit, and transmitting a call signal, which targets any one or more reception target terminals which are selected from the list of information about the reception target terminals using the transmission terminal, to the communication control unit;   the communication control unit for receiving the list of information about the reception target terminals around the call connection location corresponding to the information about the call connection location, the list of information about the reception target terminals being transmitted from the web server, from the local terminal location storage unit which is in charge of a relevant reception target location, transmitting the list of information about the reception target terminals to the web server, and connecting the transmission terminal to the reception target terminals by connecting to phone numbers of the reception target terminals corresponding to the call signal transmitted by the web server over a wired or wireless communication network;   the local terminal location storage unit for receiving and storing pieces of location information transmitted from reception target terminals within a local area in each predetermined period via a base station, and, if the information about the call connection location is transmitted from the communication control unit, collecting information about the reception target terminals within a set radius around the call connection location (reception target location) corresponding to the information about the call connection location, generating the list of information about the reception target terminals, and transmitting the list of information about the reception target terminals to the communication control unit; and   the reception target terminals for receiving the pieces of location information transmitted from satellites, and transmitting the pieces of location information to the base station.   
     
     
         12 . A location information-based communication application apparatus, comprising:
 a location information-based communication application unit installed in a terminal, configured to function as a transmission terminal or a reception terminal based on location information, configured to output an input screen which enables a user to input information about a call connection location on a screen of the terminal when the terminal functions as a transmission terminal, configured to transmit the information about the call connection location input by the user to a location information-based server application unit, configured to output a list of information about reception target terminals on the screen, the list having been received from the location information-based server application unit, and configured to transmit information about one or more reception target terminals and a communication method, which are selected by the user, to the location information-based server application unit; and   the location information-based server application unit configured to install the location information-based communication application unit by downloading a location information-based communication application program to the terminal, configured to, when the information about the call connection location is transmitted from the location information-based communication application unit, transmit the list of information about the reception target terminals around the corresponding call connection location to the location information-based communication application unit, and configured to perform control such that communication is performed based on the information about the reception target terminals and the communication method which were selected by the user and transmitted from the location information-based communication application unit.   
     
     
         13 . The location information-based communication application apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the location information-based communication application unit comprises:
 a location information-based communication application installed in the terminal, configured to make the corresponding terminal to function as a transmission terminal or a reception terminal, and configured to enable information about the call connection location, a reception target field, and a communication method to be selected when the terminal functions as a transmission terminal; and   a communication unit configured to communicate over a wireless Internet or a telephone network, configured to receive the location information-based communication application program from the location information-based server application unit, and to install the location information-based communication application program in the terminal, and configured to transmit data output from the location information-based communication application to the location information-based server application unit.   
     
     
         14 . The location information-based communication application apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the location information-based communication application comprises:
 a location information input application for displaying a call connection mode input screen on the screen of the terminal, the call connection mode input screen enabling the information about the call connection location used for call connection to be input in a coordinate input mode, an address input mode, a road name input mode, a building name input mode, or a map input mode;   a reception target field selection application for displaying a target field selection screen on the screen of the terminal, the target field selection screen enabling a transmitter to select a target field (category) of a desired communication recipient when connection is requested based on the location information;   a communication method selection application for displaying a communication method selection screen on the screen of the terminal, the communication method selection screen enabling the transmitter to select any one of communication methods from among a “voice call”, a “video phone call”, a “text message”, and “data transmission” when the transmitter communicates with a target recipient; and   a reception application for causing the corresponding terminal to function as a reception terminal, and displaying a reception selection screen on the screen of the terminal, the reception selection screen enabling the recipient to select call acceptation or call rejection when a call is requested by the transmission terminal based on the location information.   
     
     
         15 . The location information-based communication application apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the location information-based server application unit comprises:
 a data control module for storing and transmitting the location information-based communication application program to be downloaded to the location information-based communication application unit;   an update module for updating a latest location information-based communication application program while periodically communicating with the location information-based communication application unit; and   a communication control module for exchanging data with the location information-based communication application unit, and communicating with a communication control unit included in a communication network when the location information-based communication application unit requests a call connection, thereby performing control such that location information-based communication is implemented.   
     
     
         16 . The location information-based communication application apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the terminal comprises any one of:
 a wired terminal which is connected to a first radio repeater capable of communicating with a base station, and capable of receiving GPS location information from satellites and transmitting the GPS location information to the base station;   a wireless terminal which can receive GPS location information from satellites and which can make a call;   a CCTV camera which is connected to a second radio repeater capable of communicating with the base station, capable of receiving GPS location information from satellites, capable of transmitting the GPS location information to the base station, and having been assigned a phone number used for call connection;   a navigation unit which is capable of receiving GPS location information from satellites, which is capable of making a wireless call, and which is provided with a camera;   a black box for transport means which is provided with a camera connected to a second radio repeater capable of communicating with the base station, capable of receiving GPS location information from satellites and transmitting the GPS location information to the base station, and having been assigned a phone number used for call connection;   a mobile phone;   a smart phone; and   a tablet PC.